Eco Savvy in Lightbulbs

So when I was in college I was with a woman named Jackie. She was the bravest woman I have ever known, no one has ever worked as hard as I have seen her work during our college life together.

Well anyway, during college we made a pact that we would live like college students for ten years after college ended. I thought it was a great idea. Small cars, no kids, apartments, and whatever.

I think we’re a little past ten, though honestly I have no idea, the last years since college have been a blur.

There are few habits that have carried over since college, and my time with that girl. The Neti Pot, the Jansport Supersac, chick peas, AVP volleyball, and sneaking into Summerfest.

Well this weekend I did something interesting. I took the lightbulbs out of my house. I replaced them with the swirly other kind. I have used them in the lights in the driveway, or the garage. And honestly they have never been anything but great. Once they have gone in I have not changed any of them.

You know the thing is I don’t know that much about lightbulbs, or cleaning solutions, or toilets. I do research about this stuff, and I find out if it is interesting or valuable to make a change.

I was wondering what you have done to make your homes better stewards of the planet?

Does anyone have a compost pile? What the hell do you keep your kitchen stuff in? Coffee cans? How do you avoid the stink?

What about cleaning the oven? I cannot imaging that the stuff you spray in there and walk away from is a good thing. Suddenly all the burnt cheese from frozen pizzas is just gone? Where does it go…into mini cancers in my lungs I assume.

Where do you go on Wausau for inspiration? I have grown so tired of this cynicism…this sort of BS exterior…what is just fun? Who are the positive people…I like the people at the Janke Book Store…they stock the Parker Jotter, and I think I might be the only one buying them. Those ladies are cool.

Al at Et Al’s is a cool dude. He has a good dog too.

But who else?

Where do you eat, what just jumps up and down on your tongue?

It’s all rambling at this point isn’t it? A man in the town he lives in, crying out for something to turn his head, and pull him into something. Something that saves the cynicism, the grouchiness.

So are the lightbulbs a good idea?

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3 responses to “Eco Savvy in Lightbulbs”

There is a a couple of secrets to compost 🙂 The first is pretty much no animal "food" products. No meat, milk, bones and so on. Not only do they stink but they attract critters to your compost pile, which attracts the attention of your unenlightened neighbors and you don't want that.

The next secret is "aerobic," meaning with oxygen or air, if you will. When vegetable matter breaks down in the presence of lots of air, it usually doesn't "stink." It may have an odor, but it usually "earthy" and not overpowering. Think of an apple that you left out on the counter. Things stink when they break down anaerobically — like the broccoli still in the plastic bag in your fridge. Yucky, slimy and smelly, but a good compost pile doesn't get that way.

As to how to "store" the stuff. In the spring, summer and fall, why store it inside at all? After dinner take your corn husks, potato peels and apple cores right out to your backyard pile. No problem. In the winter you can put a trash can or something right outside your door and dump the stuff in there. Since it will freeze, it won't compost and you don't have to worry about it getting stinky or slimey. Just remember to dump it on to your main pile early in the spring so it doesn't thaw and start going anaerobic in the garbage can.

You can buy indoor "composters" which range from a simple bucket with an air filter on top to store stuff, up to little gizmos that are like little compost piles for under the sink. But I would stick with the outdoor pile, myself.

Marathon County used to sell a big, black, plastic compost bin that looked a bit like cross between a UFO and a trash can. I don't know if they still sell them, but they were about $35 or so. I would recommend something like a plastic compost bin to anyone with limited space or if you don't have a good place to hide an open pile (that is to say one that is just enclosed by some 2×4's which is all you really need). Fleet Farm and other places sell various plastic composters. Here is the link to the Marathon County info on composting.

Composting is easy way of putting nutrients back into the ground. Composting is not for the impatient as it usually takes about a season to get a composter established. Some of the newfangled techno composters say they willl produce the black organic matter faster, but rule of thumb is about 3-4 months for plant matter to break down.

To make the best compost, there are too types of plant matter you will want to add. Green matter and Brown matter. Green matter is lawn clippings, green leaves, plant clippings, vegetable peelings, etc. Brown matter is dry leaves small twigs, coffee grounds, potato peels, etc. You need to keep a balance between the green and the brown. Too much of one and your bin won’t work right, or will give off an ammonia smell. Good working compost bin has no oder and is quite warm to the touch.

Every couple of weeks get in your bin with a fork and give it a couple of turns. This will speed up the breakdown process. By the end of the summer you can dig out the fruits of the your labor from the bottom of the bin.